Luis “Louie” Ruelas Reflects on “Frustrating” RHONJ Season 13: “It Was a Long Season”

The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13, as well as the subsequent reunion, were particularly tough for both Teresa Giudice and her husband, Luis “Louie” Ruelas. The couple revealed as much during Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Tuesday, May 16, while discussing their falling-out with Melissa Gorga and Joe Gorga.

Teresa and Louie Reflect on RHONJ Season 13

Teresa explained that Louie was “frustrated” with the drama, and he went on to share a similar sentiment. “I was at the end of my rope,” Louie said from the Clubhouse audience. “It was a long season. Frustrating, you know?”

As such, Louie lost his temper a number of times throughout the season. Teresa, however, defended each of his outbursts — as well as his decision to back out of the pizza oven deal involving Joe, and the fact that Louie wore her late father’s pajamas to bed to make her daughters feel “safe” — as part of a WWHL game.

Teresa was also asked to share what she thought Louie’s “tipping point” was when it came to the Gorgas, and she said everything can be traced back to Rachel Fuda’s shore house, where Louie and Joe engaged in a shouting match. Louie agreed.

Andy Cohen Explains Why He Almost Walked Off During the RHONJ Season 13 Reunion

The RHONJ Season 13 Finale and Reunion

The shouting continued on the RHONJ Season 13 finale (hear the cast weigh in on the chaos by clicking on the below The Real Housewives of New Jersey After Show clip), and there’s surely more to come at the reunion. Teresa, for her part, described the taping as “upsetting [and] sad,” in addition to noting that she “couldn’t wait for it to be over.”

Melissa Gorga Says Luis Ruelas Was "Not in His Right Mind" at the Prohibition Party

Joe Giudice’s Role in RHONJ Season 13

Fans will have to stay tuned to find out what exactly goes down between the Giudice and Gorga families, but we do know one thing about the family feud: Teresa’s ex-husband, Joe Giudice, “made it a point to call Louie” since he’s familiar with the sibling drama.

Teresa and Louie shared the story of the phone call on Episode 14, with Louie explaining, “He literally said to me, ‘Do not let Joe Gorga interfere in your life, because he’s gonna try to do that. He’s gonna feel intimidated. He’s insecure.’”

Photo: Joe Giudice/Instagram

“No matter what man you had in your life,” Louie added, “your brother would’ve found something wrong with him.”

Teresa agreed and admitted that she felt “really bad” that her then-fiancé had been dragged into the years-long feud. “I see the way you are with your sisters and I always wanted it,” she said to Louie. “I kept grabbing for my brother — grabbing, grabbing — and would always take the punches. But now, that’s it. I’m done. I’m tired of getting hurt.”

Go Behind the Scenes at the RHONJ Season 13 Reunion with Andy Cohen, Jennifer Aydin, and More

Teresa and Louie’s “Chosen Family”

Since then, Teresa and Louie, as well as her four daughters, have decided to stick with their “chosen family,” as she often puts it on the show. And no, that phrase is not a dig at Joe and Melissa, she clarified on WWHL after a viewer asked, “When you make those ‘chosen family’ comments, are you doing it as a direct dig to Joe and Melissa, or do you just not realize what you’re saying in the moment?”

Responded Teresa, “I’m so glad you asked me that, and I’m gonna tell you the god’s honest truth, because what you see with me is what you get. I went to a communion…  and my sister-in-law said, ‘There’s a lot of family here, but everyone else is chosen family.’ And Louie and I were there, and I was just so taken aback from her speech. I was like, ‘Oh my god, I love that! The next time I have to say a speech, I wanna use that.’ And I swear to god, that’s really how I got it from. It was never a dig at my brother and Melissa. That’s Margaret [Josephs] starting her sh-t. But whatever.”

Melissa Gorga: "We Did [Teresa and Luis] A Favor" By Not Going to Their Wedding

Hear more from Teresa and get more takes on all the drama from Melissa, Margaret, and the rest of the RHONJ cast by watching the RHONJ After Show.